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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission On Disability - Minutes - 05/09/1983M I N U T E S COMMISSION ON DISABILITY MAY 9, 1983 The regular meeting of the Commission On Disability was called to order by chairperson Bobbie Guye at 6:40 P.M. on Monday, May 9, 19839 in the Old Fire Station, 232 Walnut Street, Fort Collins, CO. ROLL CALL: MEMBERS PRESENT: Eldon Decker, Bobbie Guye, Nancy Jackson, Char- lotte Kanode, Rosemary Kreston, Dorothy Lasley, Betty Pidcock, Betty Shuey, Rosalie Smith. MEMBERS ABSENT: Pat Crist CITY STAFF: Diana Royval GUESTS: Bill Way MINUTES Dorothy Lasley made a motion that the reading of last month's minutes be dispensed with and accepted as written. The motion was seconded and carried. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES It was the unanimous decision of the COD members to call a special meeting on May 23 at 7:00 P.M. in the Old Fire Station to review the goals and objectives. LIAISON REPORTS Dorothy Lasley revealed that in a personal conference with Lyn Boyer regarding the Community Action Board, Lyn had asked for sugges- tions on what types of special needs were most frequently not covered by Medicaid, Medicare, or other medical insurance. Some ideas ex- pressed were dental work, eye glasses, braces, prescriptions, and such things as artificial eyes. The prospect of establishing a clinic to work in that area is being explored. Because the last Mountain Bell Consumer Panel meeting was held in the upper balcony of the Lincoln Center, neither Dorothy or Bobbie were able to attend it. Bobbie reported from the minutes that a new lour use option was being introduced and would be fully explained to senior citizens at a special meeting sometime after Labor Day. Low income and senior citizens can testify at the next PUC hearing if de- sired. Mountain Bell is doing extensive publicity to acquaint their customers with the major changes taking place in telephone service. The company is closing its office at 100 IN. Oak in Fort Collins as of July 12, and those employees will be transferred to other plants. Some low volume pay phones are also being removed. Customer option to purchase their existing equipment has been ex- tended to January or 1984- -1- COD MAY MEETING MIN• S - Page 2 • Bobbie attended a meeting of the review committee regarding the Uniform Building Code on May 49 and learned that one unit in every seven is required to be accessible according to state regulations as applied to residential structures. A variance can be granted in hardship cases if sufficiently proven. An alternative to actual modification is to fix units so they can be easily made accessible for handicapped if the demand warrants. Inasmuch as it can remain a city's prerogative as to how closely the building codes are adhered to, Bobbie asked Felix Lee of Building Inspection to attend the June 13 COD meeting to discuss the matter. Members were urged to bring their ideas to that sessions and invite other interested groups. Minutes from the Senior Citizens' Board revealed that a Senior Citizen Law Project has been established which offers free legal ser- vice to older Americans and will include disabled citizens as well as the Spanish speaking community. The Fort Collins office is located at 315 W. Oak Street, Suite 710, and is open Monday thru Friday from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., phone 493-2891. Kathy Bergmann, a trained paralegal will also be available at the Senior Center, 145 E. Moun- tain Ave. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 11:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. The same service can be obtained in Loveland at 545 N. Cleveland which is the Human Relations Office, on the second and fourth Monday of each month between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 12 Noon. The Board has obtained funding from the Kluver Foundation, Rotary Club, Grand Camera, and Danite Photo Studio to publish their Larimer County Senior Directory. Seniors can do their own shopping at Toddy's on Thursday morn- ing then arrange for free delivery in the afternoon. Grocery lists will be picked up at both Oakbrook Apartments and the DMA on Thurs- days also. Board members visited two senior citizen group homes in Lake- wood recently. One is operated by the Methodist Church and the other was purchased through a grant from the state of Colorado. To date, neither home has shown a profit. The Loveland Handicapped Advisory Commission recently reviewed and approved plans for an addition to a local flower shop, which in- cluded one accessible bathroom. Plans for a pizza parlor were re- jected and returned to the architect. The group has been soliciting funds from service clubs to pur- chase a chair lift for the Community Building. Tentative plans are to obtain one from Northern Medical in Fort Collins for the price of $4,000. A recommendation to the Planning Department that handicapped parking spaces be made 16 feet wide was rejected, so thEy will con- sult with other cities to learn what is the usual width being accepted. A survey form has been composed which will be circulated through out the city in anticipation of publishing an accessibility guide book. 504 LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE The Section 504 Legislative Campaign Committee held a meeting on April 13 in celebration of notification that Section 504 had been retained as is. -2- COD MAY MEETING MITES - Page 3 In support of the pending court c minutes, the Larimer County Association Handicapped pledged a $50 donation for mary Kreston is writing an editorial o compiling some letters. ases mentioned in last month's of the Blind and Physically preparing amicus briefs. Rose- n the subject and Bobbie Guye is The committee will meet with staff persons at Poudre Valley Mem- orial Hospital at 1:00 P.M. on Monday, May 23, to discuss how that establishment can comply with Section 504 regulations. RESOURCE DIRECTORY Bobbie Guye stated she planned to have the resource directory ready by the next meeting. TRANSPORTATION REPORT The transportation report that Nancy Jackson and Rosemary Kreston had written was enclosed with last month's minutes and sent to all COD members. It was the unanimous decision for the report to be sent to City Council and to Roger Kremple of the Public Works Department. ABRF UPDATE if Bobbie Guye polled COD members last month to inquire4it was accept- able to them to use some of the architectural barrier removal funds on public buildings to make them more accessible. Projects considered were $2000 for accessibility sign modifications for both city halls, instal- ling accessible bathrooms on both levels of the old city hall to in- crease employment opportunities, and to install an accessible door at the Lincoln Center which was adjacent to the handicapped parking spaces plus repair the existing one. All had agreed inasmuch as not enough applications were being submitted from individuals, and the recommendations were forwarded to Thomas L. Frazier, General Services Director. The three projects would expend t20,OOO. Betty Pidcock suggested another area in need was the handicapped swimming program. The community pool lacks an adequate lift, shower chair, and large dressing room. Bobbie Guye will contact Peggy Walker, who is a swimming therapist with the Parks and Recreation Department, and propose she come to the next COD meeting to elucidate on the needs of her program and how she felt they could best be addressed. Another grant proposal for the amount of t20,000 has been submit- ted to the CDBG to fund next year's architectural barrier removal project. The Citizens Steering Committee will be holding defense hearings on Wednesday and Thursday nights (May 11 & 12). and the COD proposal is scheduled to be heard on Thursday. Bobbie Guye urged members to be present if at all possible. Patricia Frisbie of the Handicapped Information Office has been distributing ABRF flyers along with HIO flyers to various offices in the community. MAYOR'S AWARDS BREAKFAST Bobbie Guye, Dorothy Lasley, and Charlotte Kanode volunteered to work as a committee to outline plans for the Mayor's Awards Breakfast to be held in October during the "Hire the Handicapped" Week. They -3- COD MAY MEETING MINUTES - Page 4 will meet before the next COD meeting, then assign tasks to each member. NOMINATING COMMITTEE Nancy Jackson and Betty Pidcock will work as nominating committee for election of COD officers and submit candidates at the June meeting. Elections will be conducted in July. MISCELLANEOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS Nancy Jackson expended $3.54 in purchasing a gift and card for re- signing vice president Mike Meyers. Dorothy Lasley made a motion that COD members contribute equal shares to repay Nancy. The motion was seconded and carried. Dorothy Lasley reported that she had learned more ramps had been constructed at the University Mall, and she thought a thank you letter should be sent to the Mall manager. Bobbie Guye will write one. Diana Royval stated that city manager John Arnold was being nomi- nated for the Carolyn Keane Award, and she had been asked to summarize some of the projects he had supported for the handicapped community. Rosemary Kreston and Diana Royval agreed to compile the annual report which has to be submitted to City Council by each Board or Commission. It is due by June 1st. Bobbie Guye commented that the benefit horse show for the "Let's Ride" program will b*eld at the Ellis Ranch near Loveland on May 15, and invited COD members to attend. The committee is in the process of organizing another session both in the Fort Collins area and in Love- land. More than 20 additional handicapped persons have indicated in- terest in participating in the riding program, and those enrolled in the last session would like to continue. Bobbie Guye sent a letter to Senator William Armstrong commending him for co-authoring a bill which would assure continued benefits to those recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance whose cases were terminated after being reviewed by the government and went into appeal. Many disabled citizens had been left without any income at all during the period of being wrongfully dropped from the roll and the appeal hearing. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Dorothy Lasley made a motion that the meeting be adjourned at 8:35 P.M. The motion was seconded and carried. Respectfully submitted, zo._G/'a-er- (6 3 L_ Bobbie Guye, Cherson Eldon Decker, Secretary——'